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Posted on Wed, Apr. 22, 2009

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Democrat Tillman enters race for 4th District seat

BY DION LEFLER

The Wichita Eagle

WICHITA - Retired court services officer Robert Tillman has become the first Democrat to enter the race for the 4th District seat in Congress.

Tillman said he was inspired to run by Republican opposition to President Obama's economic stimulus agenda.

"I watched that on CNN day after day after day," he said. "It was just hard. It affected me."

Then, he said he read a story in The Eagle about Republican National Committeeman Mike Pompeo's bid for the congressional seat, in which Pompeo said his goal was to oppose the Obama agenda.

The final straw, he said, was attending the April 15 "tea party" protest near Mid-Continent Airport.

"Confederate flags (were) flown at the Republican tea party, and signs announced their disapproval for the amount of the stimulus package that so many other people are looking forward to for help in this Bush recession," he said.

Tillman, 63, worked in the court services department for about 35 years.

Court services officers carry out judges' directives, serve as court bailiffs and work with the sheriff's office to arrest people who violate court orders, he said.

When he retired two years ago as a court services officer II, he supervised five other officers and primarily worked to ensure that out-of-area offenders complied with Sedgwick County court orders, he said.

He has served on several local boards, including the United Way, the NAACP and the Project Freedom drug treatment program.

He also served as president of the Wichita chapter of the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice and secretary of the Wichita-Sedgwick County Regional Prevention Center.

Tillman served two terms as a Democratic Party precinct committeeman, but never ran for anything else because of a rule that prohibits court employees from seeking higher office.

The only other candidates in the race now are Republicans -- Pompeo and state Sen. Dick Kelsey of Goddard. Several others are considering running.

Tillman said he's untroubled by his opponents' greater name recognition.

Relatively few people knew much about Obama when he launched his presidential bid, he said.

"I have the same chance that he had," Tillman said.

Although other candidates may have more recognizable names, Tillman has the most recognizable wheels.

He drives a hot-rod-style 2000 Plymouth Prowler with the license plate "00 SOUL," a tribute to James Bond, agent 007.

He regularly displays the vehicle at car shows.

"A lot of people know me by the car I drive," Tillman said, smiling.

Tillman's wife, Linda, is principal of Little Early Childhood Centerin the Wichita school district.

Reach Dion Lefler at 316-268-6527.